Guide
Tabby or Tamara: how to compare them, and does a promo code still work when you pay in installments?
Should I pick Tabby or Tamara, and does a promo code work if I pay in installments?
Tabby and Tamara are both pay-later services, and at many of our stores either one splits the order into 4 interest-free payments, with longer plans that not every store shows. The choice is yours, based on what the checkout page offers for your order and what fits your income. An instant promo code usually comes off the total first, and the payments are worked out on what is left, so check the total before you pick an installment option.
Key points
- Tabby and Tamara are pay-later services; at stores such as noon and Mumzworld, both split the order into 4 interest-free payments.
- Tabby lists plans of up to 12 monthly payments and Tamara lists paying later over up to 24 months, but the store and the order value decide what you see.
- An instant code usually comes off the total before the split, while a noon cashback code pays its credit after delivery.
- Since 16 December 2023, Tabby has charged no late fees on Pay in 4, and Tamara dropped late fees too. Still, repeated delays with Tamara may suspend your account and affect your credit record.
- Keep your total installments to a sum you know and can cover, and avoid stacking many plans in the same month.
What does Tabby offer in Saudi Arabia?
Tabby is a pay-later service that appears on the checkout page of many stores in the Kingdom. You pick it instead of a card, and the amount is split into payments whose dates you see before you confirm the order.
One of its plans splits the amount into 4 payments, and Tabby's page describes it as "split it in 4 with no interest or fees". It also offers longer plans of up to 12 monthly payments.
A longer plan doesn't appear at every store or with every order, though. The cost of any plan is shown before you confirm it, so read it calmly and don't assume it works like the 4-payment plan.
Source: Tabby: pay later
What does Tamara offer in Saudi Arabia?
Tamara is also a pay-later service, and you will find it on the checkout page of many Saudi stores. On its Saudi site, Tamara describes its service as having no late fees and being Sharia-compliant.
The same site says you can pay later over up to 24 months. At some of our stores, such as noon and Mumzworld, Tamara splits the order into 4 interest-free payments, just as Tabby does.
As with Tabby, a longer maximum doesn't mean every store offers it. What you see on the checkout page is what your order can get, along with the plan's cost before you confirm.
Source: Tamara Saudi Arabia
How do Tabby and Tamara differ, and how do you choose?
On paper, the clearest difference is plan length: Tabby lists plans of up to 12 monthly payments, and Tamara lists paying later over up to 24 months. When you shop, though, the store and your cart value decide what appears. At noon, for example, installments with either one go no further than 4 payments.
Some stores also set a minimum order. At Mumzworld, Tabby starts from SAR 200 and Tamara from SAR 500. At Nice One, Tamara has a lowest and a highest order value, which it changes under its own policy. So you may see one service and not the other on the same order.
We don't choose for you; this is your own money decision. These questions can help you compare while you are on the checkout page:
- Do both services show up for this order, or only one?
- How many payments does each plan have, and how much is each one?
- Does the plan cost anything? It will show before you confirm, so compare it across the two.
- Do the payment dates fall after your payday or before it?
- Do you already have running installments with this service or the other one?
The installment options at our ten stores are in the table below. The store's checkout page has the final say.
Installments at each of our stores
From our store guides. What you see on the checkout page has the final say.
| Store | Instalments and payment | Best code now |
|---|---|---|
| noon | Through Tabby and Tamara, in 4 payments at most and with no interest TabbyTamara | CHI |
| Namshi | Offered through Tabby and Tamara TabbyTamara | MUT |
| Styli | Offered by way of Tabby and Tamara TabbyTamara | AXA |
| Nice One | Available with Tabby, Tamara, Emkan and Madfu TabbyTamara | T31 |
Does a promo code work if you pay with Tabby or Tamara?
Usually, yes. An instant code comes off the order total first, and the payments are split on what is left. At Namshi, for example, you type the code in the order summary, and the discount is applied before you reach the step where you pick a payment method.
Don't take it for granted until you see it, though. After entering the code, look at the total on the checkout page and make sure it went down, then pick the installment option. If the payment amount is shown, multiply it by the number of payments and compare the result with the total after the discount.
A code that gives cashback works differently. At noon, the price doesn't change at checkout in most cases, so the payments are split on the full amount. The cashback then reaches your noon balance after the order is delivered, whatever the payment method, unless the offer's terms ask for a particular one. Some noon offers do, so read the terms before you choose.
- Add the products to your cart, then type the code in its box.
- Look at the total: did it go down, or did a message say the code was accepted?
- Pick Tabby or Tamara, and check the number of payments and the amount of each.
- Confirm the order and keep a screenshot of its summary.
What happens if you miss a Tabby payment?
Tabby announced that it removed late fees on Pay in 4 in Saudi Arabia from 16 December 2023.
No fee doesn't mean no consequence: the payment is still owed until you settle it. If your plan is longer than 4 payments, read its terms as they appear before you confirm, and don't assume the same rule applies.
Turn on the app's reminders, and make sure your account has enough before each payment date.
Can late Tamara payments affect your credit record?
Tamara removed late fees too, from 16 December 2023. But it explains that repeated delays may lead to your Tamara account being suspended, and may affect your credit record.
Your credit record matters when you later apply to a bank for financing or a card. So treat a Tamara payment like any other money you owe, even with no fee attached.
Source: Tamara: late fees removed
Why keep your installments small?
Installments make a price look smaller, but they don't change what you pay in the end. Each split order adds a new due date to the coming weeks or months.
The trouble rarely comes from one order. It comes from several plans landing in the same month, one store here and another there. And the longer the plan, the longer the money stays owed.
A few simple habits keep you at ease:
- Ask yourself: would you buy this if you had to pay the full price today?
- Keep all your running installments in one place, such as a note on your phone.
- If the payment on a short plan fits your income, remember that it ends sooner.
- Don't start a new plan before you know what is left on the earlier ones.
A code saves you part of the price, and installments spread the rest. Start with the code, then decide whether you need installments at all.
Questions and answers
What happens to my installments if I return the item?
The money usually goes back to the same payment method, meaning your Tabby or Tamara account. At Namshi it returns within 24 hours after the return is accepted, and at Mumzworld it goes back to the same method within 7 to 14 working days. Each store has its own rules, so check its guide.
Why don't Tabby or Tamara show up at checkout?
The store may not offer the service, or your cart may be below the minimum it sets. Sephora's payment page doesn't mention either of them, for example, and Mumzworld has a minimum for each service. Check your cart total and look at the methods you actually see.
Are plans longer than 4 payments free as well?
We can't say that about every plan. What we know is that Tabby describes its 4-payment plan as having no interest or fees. For longer plans, the cost is shown before you confirm, so read it and compare.
Can I pay in installments and pay cash on delivery on the same order?
At noon, installments are not available if you choose cash on delivery. At other stores, check what the checkout page allows for your order.
Are there installment options other than Tabby and Tamara?
Yes, at some stores. At Nice One, for example, you'll find Madfu and Emkan next to them. At noon, you can also pay in installments with a credit card from selected Saudi banks if your order is above SAR 1,000.